The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the publication of the first supplementary voter list under the Special Initiative for Registration (SIR) process in West Bengal, marking a significant step in the electoral process. This initiative aims to address the backlog of pending voter records, with 27 lakh records now settled and approximately 2 lakh names being processed daily.
Voters in West Bengal who have objections to the newly published list can appeal online via the ECI Net app or offline at district or sub-divisional offices. To facilitate this process, 19 appeal tribunals have been established across 23 districts, ensuring that voters whose names are excluded from the supplementary list have a platform to voice their concerns.
In Surat, the voter list for the upcoming municipal elections has been made publicly available at 40 locations, including the headquarters of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), where the complete voters’ list for all 30 wards is displayed. Voters are encouraged to check their details and must submit applications for any corrections or changes at the election and census department at the SMC head office if they find discrepancies.
The first supplementary voter list was officially uploaded on the websites of the ECI and the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) around 11:55 PM, reflecting the urgency and importance of this electoral exercise. As of late afternoon, 29 lakh adjudications have been completed out of the 60 lakh cases currently under judicial review, demonstrating the scale of the task at hand.
According to the final electoral roll published on February 28, the total number of voters in West Bengal stands at 7,04,59,284. This figure represents a decrease from the earlier draft roll, which included 7,08,16,630 names, with 58,20,899 names deleted during the enumeration phase.
In a related development, the ECI has removed 73 Returning Officers (ROs), most of whom are Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs), as part of its efforts to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process. This action underscores the ECI’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the voter list and the electoral system.
The SIR exercise in Bengal was initially announced on October 27 last year, when the electorate was recorded at 7,66,37,529. This ongoing effort aims to streamline the voter registration process and enhance participation in the democratic process.
As these developments unfold, the focus remains on ensuring that every eligible voter is accounted for and that the electoral process is conducted smoothly. Details remain unconfirmed regarding any further changes or updates to the voter list in the coming days.
